An Upset for Moonlight? Oscar Preview and Predictions

Jimmy Kimmel will serve as host for the evening. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

(Newser)
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The Academy Awards are on Sunday, and Slate notes it could be a history-making night at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre. In one development that might make some headway against previous "Oscars So White" backlash, 18 black performers and filmmakers are nominated this year, including Moonlight director Barry Jenkins (who could become the first black director to take home the prize), Denzel Washington (perhaps the first black contender to win three Oscars), and Viola Davis, who could become the first black performer to win an Emmy, a Tony, and an Oscar. More on what to expect:

Cara Buckley offers her predictions for the New York Times' Carpetbagger, and she's betting on Casey Affleck to win best actor over Denzel Washington.

Richard Brody in the New Yorkermakes the case that Moonlight will upset La La Land for best picture.

Rolling Stone points out six races that are too close to call, including best director, which will likely come down to Damien Chazelle of La La Land or Barry Jenkins of Moonlight).

It's never easy to pick a winner from the best picture field, so BBC Culture asks critics from around the globe to argue why each of the nine contenders should top the ballots.

The Los Angeles Times offers the lowdown on all things Oscar, including the time (8:30pm EST, not counting the red carpet), the nominees, and a little background on host Jimmy Kimmel.

Will things get political? That's a safe bet. (Read more Oscars stories.)

Watch - they will announce La La Land , then say "wait we made a mistake, Moonlight is our winner" ...That's my prediction.

John Rieber

Feb 26, 2017 9:55 AM CST

There COULD be a Best Picture upset, along with Actor and Actress - an interesting year - to celebrate, I make food from previous films like "The Godfather" meatballs - and I had the "When Harry Met Sally" sandwich at Katz's Deli too - https://johnrieber.com/2017/02/26/katzs-deli-my-first-pastrami-at-nycs-legendary-deli-when-harry-met-sally-there-great-movie-food-scenes/

SomeoneYouKnow

Feb 26, 2017 9:37 AM CST

"A hate-fest from a bunch of millionaire dilettantes who can’t understand how Donald Trump (one of their own, really, while he hosted Celebrity Apprentice) could have defeated the anointed pants-suited one they fully expected to be worshipping in their speeches"